OnlyFans model Courtney Clenney faces second-degree murder charges for stabbing her boyfriend, Christian Obumseli, to death. Now, with the high-profile trial set for late August, her legal team is working hard to cast Obumseli as the aggressor.
Clenney’s lawyers dug up a November 2020 warrant accusing Obumseli of animal cruelty, an allegation he denied at the time, to use as evidence against him.
In a new filing, obtained by TMZ, her lawyers noted that prosecutors may present evidence claiming Christian was peaceful, not the aggressor, in the confrontation that led to his death.
They asked the court to present the animal cruelty warrant as counterevidence. The strategy appears aimed at creating a narrative of Obumseli as cold-hearted, even though he is no longer able to defend himself.
With Obumseli unable to testify or offer any context, the warrant stands as the only account jurors are likely to hear.
In 2020, Obumseli lived in an Austin apartment building with his dog, Halo. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, officers responded to a call from the property manager reporting a deceased dog in one of the residences.
Police said staff directed them to Obumseli’s apartment, suspecting he had abandoned it to avoid back rent. They found the deceased dog locked in a kennel, with food beside him but no water. Authorities later said the dog was likely dead for 5 to 7 days.
However, Obumseli denied the accusations, telling police he believed the dog was sleeping when he left his apartment and that he was only gone for 24 hours. According to the report cited by TMZ, Christian appeared “visibly upset” while speaking to officers.
Less than two years later, on April 3, 2022, Obumseli lay mortally wounded on the floor of their Miami apartment. Audio released from Clenney’s 911 call captured his last words: “I think I’m going to die. I can’t feel my arms.” Clenney told police she killed him in self-defense, throwing the knife from ten feet away to protect herself.
According to an affidavit, after a four-month investigation that included surveillance footage, witness interviews, and forensic evidence, authorities allege Clenney was the primary aggressor in the relationship. Prosecutors charged her with second-degree murder in August 2022, and she pleaded not guilty. In Florida, the charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison
